Halifax NA582 near Stillington.
On 15th October 1944 this aircraft was returning from Ops to Duisburg, known as "Operation Hurricane", in which 1005 aicraft had taken
part in the raid. This aircraft was attacked by enemy aircraft at 04.33hrs but was able to shake off the attacker and were able to bring
their aircraft back into the circuit of East Moor but it came down two miles north east of Stillington on the approach to land. The aircraft
flew into slightly rising ground near Marton South Farm while flying in thick fog.
Pilot - Sgt C W Krocker / Krecker RCAF.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Leslie Tongue RAFVR (2221300), of Sheffield, Yorkshire.
Navigator - Sgt Robert J Nicolls RCAF, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Russell E Chatfield RCAF, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Gordon J Doyle RCAF, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Air Gunner? - F/Sgt B D Walker RCAF.
Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt Morley A Orbach RCAF.
Air Gunner? - WO2 C K Rowe RCAF.
The photograph of Sgt Tongue was found elsewhere on the internet and came from his direct family.
Robert Nicolls enlisted into the RCAF in September 1941 having been employed by the Canada Cycle and Motor Company.
At the time of his death in Yorkshire his brother William was overseas and serving in the RCAF. Their father had died in May 1937
while a captain in the Toronto Fire Department.
I met with Stillington resident Mr John Sparrow in July 2011 who kindly took me to the crash site of NA582 which is now at one edge of
a large arable field near South Farm. Mr Sparrow was alive at the time of the incident but did not see the aircraft in the field, he did however
later own the land and recalled finding peices of the aircraft while working the field.
A number of the named above transferred to 424 Squadron on an unknown date after this accident.
On 28th January 1945 four of those named above were in Halifax LW164 which was taking off for Ops
to Stuttgart when it exploded at Skipton on Swale airfield. Sgt Tongue was twenty six years old
and married. P/O Robert Nicolls was twenty eight, P/O Gordon Doyle was twenty three years old and P/O
Russell Chatfield; who had received his commission, was thirty two years old. All four were buried at
Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
The remaining four airmen on board Halifax NA582 when it crashed at Stillington are all believed to have survived the War.
Halifax NA582 was built to contract ACFT/891 by Fairey Aviation Ltd at Stockport and was awaiting collection on 19th July
1944. It was issued to 420 Squadron at Tholthorpe but it may never arrived there as it was on charge with 415 Squadron
at East Moor by 28th July 1944. It suffered Cat.A/FB damage in two flak incidents in August and September 1944 and was seriously damaged
with Cat.E2/FB damage recorded following the accident near Stillington on 15th October 1944. NA582 commenced Ops
with 415 Squadron at East Moor on 28th July 1944 and crashed on it's thirty third operational flight.